Composite propellants which employ hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene as the binder ingredient have been extensively modified by variations of the other propellant ingredients to achieve the desired burning rates and properties for specific uses.
Other changes in manufacturing techniques, particularly relating to the oxidizer particle size reduction and control, such as fluid-energy mill-ground ammonium perchlorate, have produced significant improvements in burning rates. Additionally, the bonding efficiency has been improved with the use of grinding aids employed in the manufacture of ammonium perchlorate. Also, when incorporating the ammonium perchlorate into the propellant composition, bonding agents selected from MR4, HX752, and BIDE or combinations thereof have been employed to produce improved propellant aging and low temperature physical properties in the cured propellant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,893, a commonly assigned patent to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, issued to Cucksee et al on May 23, 1978, discloses isophthaloyl bis-1-(2-methylaziridine) (HX 752), BIDE (butylimidoethanal), and MT4 (reaction product of 2.0 moles of tris[1-(2-methylaziridinyl)]phosphine oxide, 0.7 mole adipic acid, and 0.3 mole tartaric acid) and the specific benefits derived for the propellant composition in which these bonding agents are employed.
Composite, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene propellants have employed carborane catalysts where higher burning rates are required; however, iron oxide which has been used over a considerable period of time became of somewhat lesser interest as a catalyst because of processing problems which resulted in variations in burning rates and the loss of certain desirable physical and mechanical properties.
Because iron oxide serves as a favorable catalyst for composite propellant compositions, an improved process which results in an improved burning rate and improved physical and mechanical properties for the propellant composition would be an attractive contribution to the propulsion industry.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an improved process for mixing iron oxide catalyzed hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene propellant compositions to achieve an improved burning rate and to achieve improved mechanical properties in the cured propellant composition.